It is no news that emerging musicians have gained fast-paced recognition in recent years, with the majority experimenting with sounds while generally breaking the expected norms. The likes of Fido, FOLA, Smur Lee, Kunmie, Chella, Mavo, TML Vibez to name some have not only broken the mould but are heading out to position themselves for more remarkable achievements. 

December 2024 (Opening Month of the 2025 Charting Calendar)

In the opening month of the 2025 charting calendar, emerging acts wasted no time announcing themselves on the official charts. Fido led the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart at No. 1 with “Joy Is Coming”, while FOLA followed with “who does that” ft. Bella Shmurda (4). Other notable entries included Fido’s “Awolowo” (8), Berri-Tiga’s “Relationship” (10), Smur Lee’s “JUJU”(12), Ayo Maff’s “Are You There?” (19), and “Constantly” by Hyce, Brown Joel & BoyPee (20).
Meanwhile, on the Official Top 100 Albums chart, Balloranking’s Zero Panic, Vol. 2 peaked at No. 2, followed closely by FOLA’s what a feeling EP (4), TML Vibez’s Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (5), Ayo Maff’s MAFFIAN (6), Llona’s Homeless (9), and TML Vibez’s Timileyin 2.0 EP (14).

January 2025

January saw Fido retaining the No. 1 spot on the singles chart with “Joy Is Coming”, while FOLA’s “who does that” ft. Bella Shmurda climbed to No. 2. JoBlaq entered at No. 7 with “Jo Vibe”, followed by Berri-Tiga’s “Relationship” (8), Fido’s “Awolowo” (12), Smur Lee’s “JUJU” (14), and Ayo Maff’s “Are You There?” (17).
On the albums chart, TML Vibez topped the list with ‘Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (Deluxe)’, while FOLA’s what a feeling EP (4), Balloranking’s Zero Panic (5), Bhadboi OML’s Bhad Boi EP (5), Ayo Maff’s MAFFIAN (7), Llona’s ‘Homeless’ (9), and TML Vibez’s Timileyin 2.0 EP (16) all secured Top 20 positions.

February 2025

Still maintaining the same momentum, Fido once again held the No. 1 position on TurnTable’s Official Nigeria Top 100 chart with “Joy Is Coming”. FOLA’s “who does that” ft. Bella Shmurda settled at No. 5, while Kunmie’s “Arike” (12), Faceless & Serotonin’s “Venus”(13), TML Vibez’s “Paper” (19), and OMIZZY’s “Danfo Driver II (Remix)” (19) rounded out the chart.
For albums, FOLA’s what a feeling EP placed at No. 5, Llona’s Homeless followed at No. 8, Ayo Maff’s MAFFIAN(10), Balloranking’s Zero Panic (12), Bhadboi OML’s Bhad Boi EP (18), Hyce, BoyPee & Brown Joel’s Synergy EP (19), and Monaky’s Candor (20).

March 2025

March was an entirely different story as Kunmie snatched Fido’s spot at  No. 1 chart with the popular rendition, “Arike”, ahead of FOLA’s “Get Better” (2) and Fido’s “Joy Is Coming” (3). Famous Pluto’s “Na Scra” (8), Faceless & Serotonin’s “Venus” (9), and Chella’s “My Darling” (13) also featured.
On the Official Top 100 Albums chart, Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers debuted strongly at No. 2, followed by TML Vibez’s Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (Deluxe) (4), Rybeena’s Virtuoso EP (7), Llona’s Homeless (7), FOLA’s what a feeling EP (11), Ayo Maff’s MAFFIAN (15), and Balloranking’s Zero Panic (15).

April 2025

In April, Chella’s “My Darling” and Kunmie’s “Arike” jointly held No. 1 on the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart. FOLA remained heavily present with “Get Better” (2) and “lost” (4), while Famous Pluto’s “Na Scra” (8), Faceless & Serotonin’s “Venus” (9), and Fido’s “Joy Is Coming” (11) followed.
On the Official Top 100 Albums chart, Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers (7), FOLA’s what a feeling EP (8), TML Vibez’s Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (Deluxe) (10), Rybeena’s Virtuoso EP (14), Llona’s Homeless (15), Monaky’s Candor (18), and Ayo Maff’s MAFFIAN (19) were present in the Top 20. 

May 2025

FOLA bagged a triple-entry run on the singles chart through “lost” (3),  Bella Shmurda’s “Dangbana Riddim” (11), and “Get Better” (13). Chella’s “My Darling” held firm at No. 5, while Kunmie’s “Arike” appeared at No. 10. Others in Top 20 positions included “No Turning Back II” by Gaise Baba & Lawrence Oyor (4), Swayvee’s “US” (15), Fido’s “Joy Is Coming” (16), Selo’s “Money Dey” (17), Ayo Maff’s “Lazy Baby” (18) and Faceless & Serotonin’s “Venus” (18).
On the albums chart, Bhadboi OML’s Bhad Boi (Deluxe) ranked at No. 7, followed by FOLA’s what a feeling EP (8), Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers (9), TML Vibez’s Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (Deluxe) (16), and Llona’s Homeless (19).

June 2025

June marked another remarkable performance from FOLA’s ends, who placed five songs within the Top 20, including “lost” (4), BNXN’s “Very Soon” (4), Kizz Daniel’s “Titi” (6), Bella Shmurda’s “Dangbana Riddim” (11) and “Get Better” (17), while “who does that” ft. Bella Shmurda re-entered at No. 20. Other notable singles included “Ewo” by Famous Pluto & Zerrydl (2), Chella’s “My Darling” (7), Muyeez’s “Free” (13), and Kunmie’s “Arike” (17).
For emerging artistes with albums in the Top 20, Famous Pluto’s Uzama The 3rd EP debuted strongly at No. 2, followed by Ayo Maff’s Prince of the Street (3), Bhadboi OML’s Bhad Boi (Deluxe) (6), FOLA’s what a feeling EP (11), Sweet Songs 4 U by Lasmid & TML Vibez (14), Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers (16), and TML Vibez’s Pawon Boy Vol. 1 (Deluxe) (19).

July 2025

“Ewo” by Famous Pluto & Zerrydl peaked at No. 1 on the TurnTable’s singles chart, while FOLA maintained a heavy presence with “One Condition” (4), BNXN’s “Very Soon” (4), Kizz Daniel’s “Titi” (11), “lost” (12), and Bella Shmurda’s “Dangbana Riddim” (19). Others were Famous Pluto’s “Osusu” (14), Chella’s “My Darling” (16), and “Gaddem” by Rybeena & Shoday (16).
Famous Pluto’s Uzama The 3rd EP continued its presence on the albums chart at No. 3, followed by Ayo Maff’s Prince of the Street (4), FOLA’s what a feeling EP (13), and Sweet Songs 4 U by Lasmid & TML Vibez (16).

August 2025

FOLA’s “you” reached No. 2, alongside “One Condition” (4) and BNXN’s “Very Soon” (9). Famous Pluto & Zerrydl’s “Ewo” continued its run at No. 5.
Emerging artistes with albums in the Top 20 during the month are Famous Pluto’s Uzama The 3rd EP at No. 4, Ayo Maff’s Prince of the Street (6), Balloranking’s Lifestyle EP (8), and FOLA’s what a feeling EP (17).

September 2025

Once more, FOLA dominates the singles chart in September with seven tracks in the Top 20; “you” (2), “One Condition” (4), “Eko” (6), “golibe” ft. Victony (7), BNXN’s “Very Soon” (12) and “lost” (13). Additional singles entries were “Ewo” by Famous Pluto & Zerrydl (8), CIZA’s “Isaka II (6am)” (10), Shoday’s “Bobo” (14), Mavo’s “Shakabulizzy” (14), and Kidd Carder’s “Calculate II” (16).
On the albums chart, FOLA claimed the No. 1 spot with catharsis, while Mavo’s Kilometer II (5), Famous Pluto’s Uzama The 3rd EP (5), Ayo Maff’s Prince of the Street (10), FOLA’s what a feeling EP (14), and Sweet Songs 4 U by Lasmid & TML Vibez (20) followed.

October 2025

This month, Mavo had a skyrocketing rise on the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart with featured songs like “Shakabulizzy (Remix)” featuring Zlatan, Shallipopi & Ayra Starr (3), CKay’s “BODY (danz)” (4), and DJ Tunez’s  “MONEY CONSTANT” with Wizkid. (5). FOLA was also present with “you” (3), “One Condition” (8),  Bella Shmurda’s “Dangbana Riddim” (14), “golibe” ft. Victony (16) and “Eko” (17). Other entries included Qing Madi’s “Demons” (9), CIZA’s “Isaka II (6am)” (12), Rybeena’s “Adunni” (14), and “Rover” by Khaid & Ayo Maff (19).
Albums for October were led by catharsis at No. 1, followed by Mavo’s Kilometer II (6), Rybeena’s Mr Bee (8), Famous Pluto’s Uzama The 3rd EP (12), Ayo Maff’s Prince of the Street (19), and FOLA’s what a feeling EP (20).

November 2025

November also belonged largely to Mavo on the singles chart, with CKay’s “BODY (Danz)” at No. 1, “MONEY CONSTANT” (3), and “Shakabulizzy (Remix)” (4). FOLA appeared with “you” (5), “Despacito” (13), “One Condition” (15), Bella Shmurda’s “Dangbana Riddim” (19), and “Caricature” (20). Others were CIZA’s “Isaka II (6am)” (14), “Unto The Next” by Famous Pluto & Zerrydl (18), and Rybeena’s “Adunni” (20).
On the albums chart, FOLA’s catharsis retained the No. 1 position, followed by Mavo’s Kilometer II (4), Rybeena’s Mr Bee (12), Kweku Smoke’s Walk With Me (17), Champz’s Champion’s Arrival EP (17), and Famous Pluto’s _Uzama The 3rd_EP (17).

NXT Emerging Top Artistes Chart (2025)

Beyond the Official Nigeria Top 100 and Official Top 100 Albums charts, TurnTable has the NXT Emerging Top Artistes chart to gauge the performances of Nigeria’s fast-rising music acts and monitor audience consumption.

In the commencing month of the charting calendar, Fido held the No. 1 position from December through May, with records like “Joy Is Coming” and “Awolowo”. During this period, Smur Lee and Serotonin also recorded steady Top Five appearances. By mid-year, Daecolm emerged as the most consistent performer from June through October and led the NXT Emerging Top Artistes chart for five consecutive months. Acts such as Gaise Baba, SAMAD, and Kidd Carder were also involved in this mid-year shift while consistently landing within the Top Five.

The concluding quarter of the year belonged to CIZA, who claimed the No. 1 in November with the “Isaka II (6am)” remix. His rise was alongside recurring appearances from Daecolm, Kweku Smoke, and Evado (all non-Nigerian acts except Evado). Below is the complete Top Five NXT Emerging Top Artistes chart:

• December (2024):

1. Fido

2. Smur Lee

3. Scotts Maphuma

4. Pryme

5. Tega Boi DC

• January (2025)

1. Fido

2. Smur Lee

3. Scotts Maphuma

4. Serotonin

5. Kold AF

• February (2025)

1. Fido

2. Serotonin

3. Smur Lee

4. Joblaq

5. Scotts Maphuma

• March (2025)

1. Fido

2. Serotonin

3. Famous Pluto

4. Smur Lee

5. Moses Akoh

• April (2025)

1. Fido

2. Famous Pluto

3. Serotonin

4. Chief Priest

5. BIGKHALID

• May (2025)

1. Fido

2. Gaise Baba

3. Swayvee

4. SAMAD

5. Famous Pluto

• June (2025)

1. Daecolm

2. Gaise Baba

3. Serotonin

4. SAMAD

5. Starsamm

• July (2025)

1. Daecolm

2. Gaise Baba

3. Serotonin

4. Kidd Carder

5. Gabzy

• August (2025)

1. Daecolm

2. Mavo

3. Tkeyz

4. Stevehills

5. Kidd Carder

• September (2025)

1. Daecolm

2. CIZA

3. Kidd Carder

4. SAMAD

5. DanDizzy

• October (2025)

1. Daecolm

2. CIZA

3. SAMAD

4. Evado

5. Tkeyz

• November (2025)

1. CIZA

2. Daecolm

3. Kweku Smoke

4. Evado

5. SAMAD